Thoughts

This is a project I am working on and could use your help. Read below.
Greetings Colleagues, Associates, & Friends,

I am in need of present and past undergraduate students, which includes you, to complete a survey on Racial Battle Fatigue. The study is open to ALL students. My goal is to gather 1,500+ surveys. If you know anyone who meets these criteria to take the survey please feel free to forward this email on. They will be asked to complete a questionnaire concerning their experiences as an undergraduate student and as well as any race-related stressors and responses. The survey should take about 15-25 minutes to complete. Participation in this study is voluntary and they may withdraw at any point in time. Below is a further description of the study. The link to the questionnaire is:

My name is Dr. William A. Smith and I am an Associate Professor at the University of Utah. At the University of Utah, we are conducting a study entitled the “Development and Validation of the Racial Battle Fatigue Scale.” This scale will help us to better understand the degree and impact of campus stressors that students (past and present) faced on post-secondary campuses. I am the principal investigator for this very exciting study. This study has also received the Institutional Review Board Approval (IRB) from the University of Utah (IRB_00050140).

Our hope is to extend research on campus racial climate, racial microaggressions, race-related stress, and mundane extreme environmental stress (MEES) in an effort to improve the campus environment and make it more welcoming for all students. Racial battle fatigue is a theoretical framework which investigates the psychological, physiological, and behavioral responses to certain climates. In environments where environmental stressors are present they are felt as a psychological and emotional burden as well as a physiological response.
The long-term aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive scale that researchers and policy makers can utilize to better prepare their campuses for the changing demographics and better serve the diversifying student body it seeks to bring to campus as students, faculty, and staff

If you are interested in taking our survey on racial battle fatigue, please follow the link below:

Core Research Team
William A. Smith, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education, Culture & Society and the Ethnic Studies Program at the University of Utah. In addition, he is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Education, Leadership, & Policy and a Faculty Research Associate in the Utah Education Policy Center. Dr. Smith will be directing the study.

Man Hung, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Operations at the University of Utah and a lead statistician and research consultant at the Statistical Design and Biostatistics Center. Dr. Hung will be conducting data analysis for this study.

Jeremy D. Franklin, will be responsible for leading communication and study direction between participants and the lead PI. In addition, he will be responsible for some of the data analysis and data entry.

The Spirit Airlines ad above is a classical example of racetalk . The advertisement is obviously referring to President Obama's recent Supreme Court pick, Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The advertisement uses the phrase "Justice Ochita Suprema" which is getting at their $8 fares. This is a poor attempt at advertising that has clear racial undertones.

"The court majority found that language in the amendment prohibiting recognition of other unions “for any purpose” included the extension of benefits to gay and lesbian partners of public employees. Several Michigan universities, including U-M and MSU, along with various municipal and school employers had offered the benefits as a means of attracting workers."